Rags

Yesterday i was at work chatting it up with my boss, and he reminded me of something that really shook me.

"..and all your righteous acts are like filthy rags".

We spent the half day at work talking about God's love. We shared back and forth refreshing one another in how amazing and great the grace of God is. When he shared that verse in Isaiah about our deeds as like filthy rags, i was stuck in my tracks. I have a permanent reminder of Romans 5:8 tattooed on my stomach, paraphrased. It starts out as does the title of this blog, "Hey, unloving i will love you". This serves to remind me, the unloving/unlovable, that God chooses to love me despite my filthy sin. When my boss, Jack, shared that verse in Isaiah about our good deeds, i bridged the two verses in my mind.

My sin as well as my righteousness, in light of God's love, are filthy rags.

I can never deserve His love. I can never be righteous enough. My best efforts are not impressive to him at all. Yet He chose me. His grace is always with me. I can not do anything to change His love towards me, just like i couldn't do anything before he chose to love me. Now, I can not run fast or far enough to escape his love. As the song says, "If grace is an ocean, we are all sinking".

God tells Jeremiah in the first chapter, that before he formed him, he set him apart. Appointed him as a prophet to the nations. Later, he says that he has made him into a fortified city, an iron pillar and a bronze wall to stand against the whole land. Jeremiah was afraid and told God that he couldn't speak and was only a child. God told him that he would be with him, and would rescue him. Jeremiah then went on to be God's mouthpiece to all of Judah. I believe that we need to take Jeremiah's call as our own.

There is an abundance of God's love that NEEDS to be shared with the world. No sin or struggle in your life, is bigger than this call. He chose to love us despite our sin! We need to stop feeling guilt because of our sins, his love has covered over all our transgressions, and now we have the opportunity to show others His love.

God is telling you that he is with you, he loves you, and he will rescue you. Will you help Him rescue those that are in desperate need?

I hope that out of the abundance of His love, we can be used to reach the world.